Improvement in propelling-wheels for canal-boats



UNITED' STATES VPATENT OFFICE.

' eUsTAv HEYDEIOE, 0E NEW uLM, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROPELLING-WHEELS FOR CANAL-BOATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l58,1l4, dated January 5, 1875; application filed October 3, 1874.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, GUsTAv HEYDRIOH, of New Ulm, in the county of Brown and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Propelling Canal-Boats, of which the following is a specication:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a side elevation of my improved propelling-wheel for canal-boats; Fig. 2, an end view of the same, and Fig. 3 a detail longitudinal section of the guidesleeve and sliding spur-lever.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. The object of my invention is to provide an improved mode of propelling canal-boats without agitating the water and causing Washing of banks.

My invention consists of a vwheel which is rotated in a central wheel-box of the boat, and provided with hollow sleeves that extend radially from the hub and guide sliding spurred levers or propelling-arms, when released from the pressure of spring-levers acting thereon, by an arc-shaped side lange of the wheel-caslug, so that they engage the bottom of the canal and propel the .boat.

In thedrawing, Arepresents a rotating wheel, which is, preferably, placed into a central 1ongitudinal wheel box or casin g of the boat, and constructed of a strong hub, A', with radial hollow arms or sleeves B extending therefrom at suitable length, corresponding to the depth of the canal. The outer ends ofthe sleeves B are connected by stif'ening bands or braces B for giving the required degree of strength to the wheel, and the sleeves provided sidewise with pivoted and spring levers a, which enter, by their rectangularly-bent front ends, into perforations a of the sleeves, for pressing 011 the levers or paddle-arms C, sliding therein. The sliding propelling-arms G and the sleeves B are, by preference, made of rhombic crosssection, as this shape combines the least resistance to the water with considerable strength. The outerends of the paddle-arms C are pointed or spurred for entering readily into the bottom of the canal, while their interior ends have a shoulder, b, which guides the arms steadily in the sleeves, and prevents, in connection with the narrower mouth b of the sleeves, the detaching of the arms from the sleeves. An elastie cushion, d, at the bottom of each sleeve near the hub, softens the concussion of the arm C when sliding inward, and keeps the shape of the shoulder end intact for sliding readily in the guide-sleeve. An arc-shaped tlan ge or rod, I), is suitably fastened into the side wall of the wheel-box, projecting far enough to en gage the rear ends of the spring-levers a of the sleeves B, and release thereby the sliding arms from thepressure of the same. The flange D extends in about a semicircle from a point ver tically above the hub to a point sidewise of the vertical axis below the hub, for the purpose of engaging the levers when the arms assume a nearly-vertical position below the hub. The pressure of the levers is thereby interrupted and the arm allowed to shoot out by its own weight in nearly perpendicular direction from the sleeve, so as to enter by its spurred end with considerable force into the bottom of the canal. rlhe flange retains the levers engaged until, by the nearly-vertical upper position ot the sleeves, the arms slide back again, and are then held fast iu the sleeves by the levers, becoming free to act by the termination of the flan ge. Thus one arm after another enters the bottom, and compels thereby the propulsion according to the speed imparted by the motive power to the wheel.

The heavier the `boat is loaded, and the deeper it is sunk below the water-level, the shorter will be the length of the propellingarms required for entering the bottom, and the less depth the boat draws in the water the greater the length necessary for the arms to slide ou t. In the former case the greater length of arms inside of the sleeves balances the y greater power required for moving the loaded boat, and in the latter case the less eective power of the fully-extended arms is sufficient to propel the lighter boat.

The boa-t may, by the successive entering or the propelling-arms into the bottom of the canal, be propelled with considerable rapidity without hardly any motion of the water and washing of the banks, and also be used readily for being propelled in opposite direction by changing the position of the operating flange on the same side of the Wheel-box to a posi tion symmetrical to the former.

Having thus described my invention, what same inside of the sleeve until detached, as I claim as new, and desire by Letters Patent, described. is- 3. The combination of spring-levers a with 1. As an improvement in propelling canalarcshaped lange or rod D of the Wheel-box,

heats, a rotating propelling-Wheel having rafor engaging ends of levers and releasing sliddial guide-sleeves with spurred sliding'extening propelling-arms for entering into the botsion propelling-arms retained and cushioned tom of the canal at the proper time, as specitherein, snbsiiaj'vally'n 'the manner and for ed.

the4 purpose set forth. GUSTAV HEYDRICH.

2. The combination of spring-levers a, en- Witnesses:' Y

tering through perforation a of the sleeve B, JOHN BELLUE,

with sliding propelling-arm C, for retaining the JOHN PELLER. 

